Bags to add to your Christmas wishlist

Forget IT bags when it comes to stylish arm candy because Charlotte Pearson has found the answer down in Chichester.

If there is one thing which sums up the 21st-century shopper, it is their desire to know where their goods come from.

Tinct tote

In the last decade or so provenance has become a key concern for the consumer who worries about their carbon footprint as much as they do about quality and value for money.

There used to be a time when your career prospects were linked to a trade, usually something practical such as in a forge working with metal or maybe a tannery with leather.

However, nowadays many of us are now stuck at a desk, behind a screen with less and less people taking advantage of these skill-based roles.

For leather goods label Tinct, based in Chichester, one of its proudest claims is that it is investing in the future of this country’s leather industry.

Ben and Rosie Picture: Samantha Copeland

“We use Pittards in Somerset,” explains Ben Broad, one of Tinct’s directors.

“It used to make saddlery items but now manufactures pieces for themselves and other companies.

“It is important to our brand that the items are made in the UK.

“There are also a lot of young people that work there which means there is a vibrancy to it and it is nice for us to know we are helping to invest in its future.”

Cross body bag

Tinct launched in May, 2015, and was set up by Ben’s sister Rosie.

“I was making various bits and bobs like masks from leather and cards but kept wondering why I wasn’t really selling much,” she says.

“Someone suggested that I make something practical so I made one of the little wallets which were really popular and it has just evolved from there.”

The first range included the tote, shopper and little and large wallets but has grown to include the cross body bag and tech wallets.

“We are always looking to add more products,” reveals Rosie.

“We have tried to include more items aimed at men so we have the laptop portfolios and have recently launched a bag for a motorcycle helmet.

“It came about from just talking to people and we realised that people invest a lot of money in things like their helmet but there isn’t anything out there that is stylish to carry it in.”

After launching the business Rosie realised she wouldn’t be able to make all the products herself by hand, so she began her search to find a manufacturer.

“I initially went to Portugal but I soon realised that there were probably a lot of people in this country we could work with,” she says.

“I found the factory in Somerset where the bags are cut and sewn by a machine but assembled by hand.”

While many people would not relish working with a sibling it seems Ben and Rosie have found it refreshing. “It is just us and it is great working with each other as we are family and you can be open with one another,” smiles Rosie.

“We also have different skill sets which really compliment each other.”

Although the bags are stylishly simple in their design each one comes in a number of ‘colourways’.

“We have got more confident and are expanding to include bolder and brighter colours now,” says Rosie.

“The bags are a great way to add a pop of colour to an outfit, so if you are wearing all navy you can add a bit of orange.”

For winter they are introducing burgundy and a green called agave, but Rosie admits that they don’t follow the seasons.

“I have friends who work in fashion and they tell me how they are selling autumn/winter 2016, are putting spring/summer 2017 into production and designing autumn 2017, I’m just like what?” she smiles.

“I just do things as they come to me and we are constantly adding to the lines.”

In the run up to Christmas, Tinct is offering an embossing service on the smaller items such as the wallets where you can have words or letters added to make it even more special.

With a number of items already for sale the pair have big plans for the future, the only question left is which bag to ask Santa for this year?

For more information and to view the full range, visit www.tinct-uk.com

The raw hides come from Sweden, Denmark and Belgium all of which are known to have high ethical farming standards, meaning the leather is of the highest condition when it reaches the tannery for processing.

Vegetable tanned means dyed using extracts from plants. We favour this process as we know that alternative harsh chemical processing will one day come back to bite us. It also means we can provide you with a product that with a little TLC, will last you a lifetime.